WASHINGTON, Feb 2: US President Barack Obama on Monday ordered three more brigade combat teams for Afghanistan.

The decision was announced after a meeting of America’s three most powerful men — President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and Defence Secretary Robert Gates — met at the White House earlier on Monday.

The three reviewed a new strategy for dealing with the insurgency in Afghanistan and Fata.

US officials, while talking to the media, have indicated that the new policy would also focus on Pakistan and not merely as an adjunct to the Afghan war.

The Obama administration fears that a descent into chaos by nuclear-armed Pakistan would be even worse for US secu-

rity than a collapse in Afghanistan.

Two of the three brigade combat teams that Mr Obama ordered to Afghanistan may deploy early spring and one later next year, as early as the end of summer.

A brigade combat team, known by its initial BCT, is a self-contained fighting unit three to four thousand strong.

But officials noted that President Obama had left open the option of sending more troops. The United States currently has 34,000 troops in Afghanistan, as part of a 70,000-strong International Security Assistance Force.

Gen. David D. McKiernan, who commands both ISAF and US forces in Afghanistan, has said he may need 20,000 more troops to bring security to Afghanistan.

The Afghan National Army is nearing 80,000 troops, and the Afghan National Police has almost 82,000 officers.

The army is expected to grow to 134,000 by 2014, while the police force has reached its intended cap.

The increase in US forces is part of Mr Obama’s plan to pull combat troops out of Iraq and focus on the growing threat from a resurgent Al Qaeda in Afghanistan.

While defending the troop surge, Secretary Gates told a Senate panel recently: “There is little doubt that our greatest military challenge right now is Afghanistan.”

Opinion

Editorial

High troop losses
Updated 24 Dec, 2024

High troop losses

Continuing terror attacks show that our counterterrorism measures need a revamp. Localised IBOs appear to be a sound and available option.
Energy conundrum
24 Dec, 2024

Energy conundrum

THE onset of cold weather in the country has brought with it a familiar woe: a severe shortage of piped gas for...
Positive cricket change
24 Dec, 2024

Positive cricket change

HEADING into their Champions Trophy title defence, Pakistan are hitting the right notes. Mohammad Rizwan’s charges...
Internet restrictions
Updated 23 Dec, 2024

Internet restrictions

Notion that Pakistan enjoys unprecedented freedom of expression difficult to reconcile with the reality of restrictions.
Bangladesh reset
23 Dec, 2024

Bangladesh reset

THE vibes were positive during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s recent meeting with Bangladesh interim leader Dr...
Leaving home
23 Dec, 2024

Leaving home

FROM asylum seekers to economic migrants, the continuing exodus from Pakistan shows mass disillusionment with the...